Generally I enjoy the post-war optimism of children's books from either POST-WWI or post-WWII (think Swallows and Amazons or Narnia). Compared to modern day children's books, they tend to be about the adventure, rather than about being relatable and about life. How boring.

Stig of the Dump has that post-war optimism but doesn't quite do it for me. It's a little too closed-off, a little too small. Written nicely, I just feel it had so much more to give and never quite got around to it.